Abstract

MENDONCA, Mariana B.  and  FERREIRA, Eleonora A. P.. Adherence to treatment by caregivers of children with asthma. Rev. bras. crescimento desenvolv. hum. [online]. 2005, vol.15, n.1, pp. 56-68. ISSN 0104-1282.

Asthma during childhood is considered hard to control due to the number of factors involved in its aetiology, as well as in its prevention and treatment. Being a chronic illness, it brings to the individual and to the caregiver some restrictions which, when not correctly followed or when inadequately managed, may compromise the individual’s quality of life. The objective of the present work was to identify and to analyse the main difficulties in adhering to the pediatric treatment of asthma, according to reports made by ten mothers - all of them primary caregivers of ten children receiving attention in a university hospital. Collection of data was carried out using an interview guide, The Ways of Coping CheckList and some medical records. Results indicated that difficulty in adhering to the treatment is connected with factors such as the caregiver’s comprehension of the illness and its treatment, and the cost of following all the indicated rules.

Keywords : Asthma; Primary caregiver; Adherence to treatment.

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